Rants on Cycling and on Life:
Photos of people and bicycles that pass in front of my camera

4.06.2010

the sun is setting... I think I managed to salvage the day

this happens all the time... I get started on a rant... that rant goes unfinishedthat rant does not get proofedthat rand does not get publishedI think I will give this a quick scan then hit PUBLISH AND POSTnot sure what I have... lets see what I have got!

the sun is setting and my legs are tiredDean's homework is done and the black dog Brutus has been walkedwe are back from vacation one day and already slipping nicely back into routineit pleased me this morning that the boys did not give me any issue about getting out of bed or getting ready for schoolin fact... they were each up and out of bed a few minutes earlygetting them to get dressed and eating breakfast occurred with the standard parental guidanceeight year old Dean needing far less prodding than six year old Grant

the boys stepped into routine better than their fatheras their father is still trying to figure out his routinesure there is the structure of the morning... then drop offs and pick ups of the boys at school... and of course there is the requisite walking of the dogbut what about in betweenwhat is the routine that goes in between

I am still trying to figure out the routineI am still trying to figure out how to budget my timeI am still trying to figure out how to spend my time

it has been two months since CBS News had its layoffsit has been two months since 100 people within CBS News were laid offit has been two months since 10 people at CBS News in Washington DC offices were let go from their jobs and stripped of their benefitsit has been two months since I had a jobit has been two months since CBS News took away my job... my pay check... my benefits... and my routineseverance is about to run outsadly... I have less to show of this time than I had expected

sure I had the SNOWPOCALYPSE to keep me busythen I just got back from a family spring break trip to Floridabut what about all those other things I wanted to donone of those things have happened yetit is harder to make things happen than one would thinkthere really is not that much time between drop off and pick upeven on the two days a week that the kids stay for aftercare

today I had some ideas of what I wanted to do but stumbled on the first set of objectivesit was tough to get startedthen once things began... they took much longer than anticipatedonce item one on this mental things to do list was checked off I took a look at the clocktook a look at the clock and then a glance out the windowdid an estimate on how much time I had before I left out to grab the kids from aftercarethere was enough time for a ride

there was no hesitation as there was little timethere was no hesitation but there was a stutter in my stepthings were not ready to goI was not ready to go

I knew that I needed to rideI knew that I wanted to rideit had been since before my family vacation in Florida that I had been on the bikeI had been missing the feeling of being on the bike

in an old outdated DCMTB kit with a black and red design and all sorts of names of companies that no longer sponsor or support our team and I was out the alley and on the bikewith the leg over the Specialized Tri-Cross with its riser bars I rolled towards Beach Drive in Rock Creek Parkit was hotI was excited to be on the bikewith two spins of the cranks I agreed to myself to head out for a little over than an hour thirty rather than the initially intended just over an hour

there was some quick consideration of where I would like to rideMacArthur Blvd. was a consideration... this gwadzilla archive expresses some of the issues on that roadbut then decided I did not have the time to trek across townso I stayed local on the roads that wind through Rock Creek Park

at a decent clip I rolled down Park Road into "the park"a long list of cars passed anxiouslyas each car passed I took notice of the make and model of the car, the condition of the car, the license plate and bumper stickers if there were anythen of course the driver

as the cars pass I take notice of the car and its passengersvery few cars have passengersmost every car has the solitary driver and a handful of vacant seatsso in most cases I only have to take measure of one person... the driver

as the cars pass I take notice of the driverI take notice of their attention to me and their attention to the road around themI make a mental not of age, sex, and body typeI try to imagine who they are

I watch as they multi-task...drivers are usually more involved in a task other than drivingfor some it is the phone... for others it is the music on the radio... then of course the evil electronic distractions of the texts and emails... bad... bad.... very badalthough this day did not offer suchthere are also less than ordinary things seen by the passing cyclistnone of which will be listed here

the cars all pass me... some pass me unnecessarily fast and unnecessarily close as we all roll down Park Road into Rock Creek Parkthe cars queue up at the red light at the base of the hillnot many of the cars have left me much room on the right hand side of the roadI consider passing on the leftI anticipate that my timing is such that I am going to catch the light just after it turns greenso staying to the right is my best betI am turning right onto Beach Drive

with only a few inches to spare I split the space between this line of cars and the road sidemaking sure that my tires are not rolling through any debris that could cut my ride short by causing a puncturewhile also being careful of the side view mirrors and any sudden movements by these cars

I make a sweeping right hand turn as the car along side of me goes straighta number of the cars turn straightsure enough... some of the cars that passed me unnecessarily fast and unnecessarily close are forced to pass me againaware of this I move forward and try to anticipate the behavior of the car drivers around memy pace has picked up... without an bicycle computer on the bike I can only guess how fast I am goingapparently I am not going fast enoughone car passes without issue but the following car passes as wellthey put themselves and other at risk by going straight head on into fast approaching opposing trafficonly to have to dash in front of me before a head on collision and the cement median strip

as I cross past Broad Branch I try to anticipate the moves of the cars around mea car waiting to turn left looks like it is going to go after the car in front of me passesit looks like they are going to turn in front of me... it looks like they are going to take a left hand turn right on top of mein a near panic I am pulling the brakesthey stop short... but only after causing my heart to skip a beatI regain composure and award myself congratulations for being alertand not acting such that my front brake was pulled so much that I endo-ed over the front wheel

cars on the right merge follow a similar routine of unpredictabilitythe car drivers are always anxious to keep movingto so many of these car drivers the bicycle is a nuisance... not another person... just an obstacle to move aroundalthough I can not read their minds I am confident that they are frustrated because they had to slow for a second for the person on the bike

onto into Rock Creek Park past the point where they close off the road on weekends I pick up the pacenothing fantastic as I am really not that fastthere are limitsthere are the limits of my bike and the limits of my bodythis is my cross bike and it is a one by nine with no big ringwhich is fine... I really don't have big legs... especially this time of year

after crossing over the old stone bridge I get a feeling that it is odd that no cars have passed methen it happensnot the car behind me but a car a few cars behind me starts honkingit is not clear if they are honking at me or at the car that is not making the passI try to not let this honking bother mebut I know that my being here is part of the equation that is causing them to honk their horneven if it me that they are not honking at

the timing is such that the road is either winding too much or on the straights there are oncoming carsI try to stay to the right but not so right that someone will think that they can make the pass in the same lanefinally the driver makes a passit is a old Toyota Corolla in okay shape... the driver is an older white male... grandfather old... Maryland tags and no bumper stickersthe driver does not do so much as glance my way when he passes

after he passes without hesitation each and every car behind him passesthey pass without much anticipation of oncoming trafficthe last car slips inmaking a generous pass giving me all sorts of space while giving a dangerous amount of space to the approaching carit is a moderately close callthe driver leading the charge of opposing traffic looks like he wants to respond with some sort of gesture but is too focused on not making contact to the on coming car

just ahead at the four way stop cars line up in the queuethe slow and roll method of movement keeps the cars moving aheadas I pass the Park Police Headquarters I pass half the cars that just passed meI slow my pace and time things such that the right turning car in the queue can go forward ahead of methen roll through the intersection just behind a car going straight when their turn arises

across the intersection on the right hand side of the road I get passed by the cars that I passed at the Stop Signthe cars pass without incidentI am pleased that there is no conflictI make a mental not of the carsagain... make and model of car... the driver... and all other variables including their response to me

it is not uncommon for eye contact to be made and for people to make facesnon verbal communication is not uncommon between cyclist and car driverit is good to know what I am up against

the legs are feeling pretty goodalthough there has been no caffeine since the morning I am feeling pretty energizedsometimes being on the bike is energizing enough on its own

things roll by without consequencecycling is a weird balance of ultra intense focus and wild over the top day dreamingI have been day dreaming on and off pretty much since I started to get my legs pushing the pedals

it is hard to explainit is not a spacey lying on your back staring at the clouds sort of day dreamingit is more like a dream that you have slight control overI can not tell you how many times I have taken rides where I determined how I would spend Power Ball winnings or how a Q&A on the David Letterman Show would goon this day my day dreaming is highly influenced by the events of the day

I can not help but let my mind wander about WABA and the opening of the Executive Director's positionI think about how they are going to view my resume and how they are going to respond to memy mind wanders

again lacking the ability to read others minds I have to fabricate the thoughts on the other side of thingsI think about people on the WABA Board and wonder who knows me and who knows my blogit is curious to think whose radar I am on and what impressions they have of meit is hard to have this day dream without throwing in the variable of being drunk and wearing the bicycle helmet lampshade at a couple of WABA Holiday Parties

I do not over think those events... these things do not worry me so muchalcohol has a tendency to get people drunkthere is more to me than blowing some steam at a partythere is more to me than this... I let that thought drift away

in my head I laugh to myself when I think about how the founder of WABA shaved his beard to be taken more serious and how I am conscious of such things and choosing not to shave my beardin my head I day dream about choices I will make and how I will respond to various questionsit is hard for me to think about interview situation... I think about what I might wear and if I will wear a tieI am a cyclist not a lawyerI am also a person who does not understand why our society continues to do things the way that they were done beforetimes are changingthere are some customs that need not be continuedsomething like a tie is from the old schoolbut also... we need to do certain things... why? we just must

I feel it is important for me to try not to pretend to be something I am notthen my day dream throws me a curve ball... I am wearing glasses in my interviewI do not wear glasses... but I have worn glasses in different situations in an effort to tone things downa simple prop that alters the viewers perceptionit is my day dream... but it is also its own directed flow of thoughtI am spectating my own imagination

as I hammer along I go in and out of day dreamstrying to balance that uber focustrying to make sure that I am working hardthat I am going as fast as I wish to goit is dangerous to day dream too muchtoo much day dreaming can cause me to drop pacetoo much day dreaming can have me unprepared for a dangerous set of variablesit is important to always be ready for anything

my pace has droppedonce the pace drops it is important to drop the day dreamfocus again on my legs, my lungs, and my outputthen let the day dream return

as I approach the intersection of Beach Drive and East West Highway I notice that my seatpost has slippedthat has been a chronic problem with this Specialized Tri Crossin each cyclocross race this season past I suffered major slippage... which of course means the lose of proper leg extension... which of course effects power output and comfortI decide I will knock things out to the Mormon Temple before I raise the seat

in the shadow of the Mormon Temple I raise my seat postthe issue has been diagnosed but not resolvedit turns out my cable guide that feeds to the rear brake hangs from the bolt that tightens the seat clampthat hanger shamefully fits in the split in the frame that closes the gap to tighten around the postwell... with that little piece of metal in that gap I am unable to tighten down enough on the seat postcarrying an allen set is my temporary resolve

while doing the repair a cyclist rolls pastI make the quick fix then am back on the bikein no time I am past this man on a Celeste Green BianchiI pass him only to be caught at the light at Connecticut Avenuethe light is long... real long... traffic is such that it would not be wise to bust a moveI still try to see if there is an opportunity that presents itselfbut no... I am forced to wait for the light to change

ahead of the cars I get out of the saddle and hammer aheadit pleases me that each of the cars that had passed me previously that were caught at the light pass me safelyeven a second Toyota Corolla of similar condition with a similarly aged silver haired man passes me safely.... quite differently than the previous pass

the pedals turn and the road curvesthe day dream returnsin my head I think of the former Executive Director of WABA Eric GillilandI think of all the things that happened over the yearsIt really pleased me to see Eric and WABA move in the direction that they have moved in recent yearsyes... lots of what has happened is a changing of the timesthere were many things that happened that were a direct result of Eric and the WABA Staffwhile there are also things happening that are a movement with the timesI think about the momentum and how we need to snatch this opportunitythis has me thinking of how I would build on that and then expand on what Eric has donethat with my personality... my passions... and my connections...and yes... my agenda... I could really make things happenlots of things... a long list of thingsvital things and subtle thingsrecreational and utilitarian things

I think about the list I have been working on in case I get called in for an interview

there are so many things I would like to see happenit is more than just rolling with the momentum and throwing down some bike lanesit is about evolving a better systemtrying things... accepting that there is a bit of an unknowndemanding that things are not except-able as they are and that things need to be changedouch... demanding... that is sort of a strong toneluckily no one has read this farand if they have... hopefully they understand me and who I amI am passionatethis stuff does mean something to me

my body is feeling goodit is to my advantage that it is a weekday in the afternoonthere are some cyclists... but not too many people... not so many people that anyone is passing me

as I approach the T where Beach Drive or whatever it is called hits Randolph Roadagain... I think... I have only ridden out there a thousand timesso not sure about the road names

back to my location whatever the street names may be... so I am approaching the point where I will turn around and a cyclist is coming the other wayshe looked not only dressed to ride but she looked like she was riding at a decent clip... not hard work out... but nice speedy spinthere was some distance before I made the turn aroundnot sure how much I altered my pace but I never caught hershe was visible on a long stretch but I think that first light was timed such that she gapped me beyond my ability to recover

the day dreaming caused my pace to dropthe day dreaming and the fatiguethe day had involved some hard pedaling and my legs were starting to feel itit is early in the spring and I really have not had much time on the bike with all the snow and such this winter

ahead at Cedar Lane I could see the light was Redmy Hammer Gel Flask bottle no longer had any water to quench my thirst on this unseasonably warm day that felt more like summer than spring so I decided that I would roll up to the water fountainnot only did I want to keep pace but I also needed to get home so that I could get my car and get my kids from after care after school

as I approached the fountain my hand went into my jersey pocket going for the flaskwith my body bent over to get the water direct from the fountain to my mount I kept one eye on the lightthe light changesthe flask would not be filledI took to the bike and made the light after taking one last mouthful of water

as I approached the light I a man on Cedar Lane takes a right turn on red on his bicycleit was an fit strong bull of a man with silver hairhe was quite muscular and his bike was beyond prettyalthough I did not catch the name on the frame I did like the color of the paint, a burnt orange almost brown color frame looked nice with the fenders, the bar end shifters, and the whole feel of the bikethe paint looked like it was still wet from the factory yet the bike looked like it was vintage

as I passed I gave him a glance and said that he had a pretty bikehe thanked me somewhat awkwardly then of course matched my paceI was not looking to play cat and mousenor was I looking to pull him or try and drop himwhich had me relieved that he was matching my pace but not sitting on my wheelwell... as far as I could tellbut I was not really so concerned

there were some moments that the sound of his bike became visible what I felt was my personal space but I still was not so concerned about himas I did not feel like I had someone sucking my wheelhonestly... I hate to have people suck my wheelunless it is a shared understanding

drafting off a stranger on the road is tailgatingit is not to be done in the carit is not to be done on the bikesuch action on the Capital Crescent Trail is the ride of fools

these are not the issues on this dayin fact there are really no issueswell... no issues other than the tragically slipping seat postwhich of course had to be resolved on multiple occasionsusing red lights as a fine time to set things right

at the last light before Randolph Road... what is that again Knowles?at this intersection with its No Turn on Red signs I took a position in the right turn laneI acted quicklythere was some tension... I wanted to be done by the time the light changedas I turned the allen key I watched the cars come towards meeach car did a slow and go through the No Turn on Redalways paying close attention to the traffic coming downhill to the green light in the intersectionnever coming into my space making me feel at riskbut each and every car blatantly not only ignoring the Red Light but also ignoring the No Right Turn on Redor should I switch what they are ignoringeither way... these same people are ignoring this set of instructions each day and every day on their commute

my mind wanderedthere were all sorts of ideas of advocacy within the day dreamsdifferent stretches of road had me thinking of various things that could be done to make the roads bettermarkings ON THE ROAD? that SHARROW GUY but in a Celeste Green?... Bianchi Green?then at some of these intersections have the STOP LINE backed up and have a BIKE BOX so that the bikes do not think that they should act like cars and get in the queue or submissively hide off to the side...

through sections of Beach Drive still in The District I thought about how that path on the road side could be intentional rather than accidentalthe people have spoken... give them a dirt trail on the road sidethe trail in my mind's eye goes not only parallel to the road but dips down to race along side of the creekif I could ride my bike there... I would spend far less time riding on the roadsI think that would be better for meI bet some of the car drivers would think that would be better for them

in my minds eye I saw runners and dog walkers using this packed natural surfacenot asphaltoh... no... god forbidthe natural surface is better for allit is better for the soulas I pass more dense section of trail I imagine trails where trails should be and I see trails that are unsanctioned but already thereI imagine linking those trailsassisting them... making them more sustainable

and yes... this ride would then involve dirt when the dirt is dryinstead of having to sharpen my elbows and cross my fingers about the carsbut rather have my time on the bike happen car freesure I would have to slow for runners and dog walkers and then expect other bikersbut that is already knownthere is room for everyone

the guy with the pretty bike with the long name I can not remember is still in my shadowI am still hammering pretty hardbut honestly... I do not have anything moreif he were to pass me... I would salute him and let him gobravo... good jobtop of the morning to ya... and good day

instead he remains in my shadowno conversation about the weatherno discussion about the carsno challenge of legs and lungs

just as we hit the base of that short climb that goes to the three way stop he turns offAH! The Parkway Deli... I could really go for the Parkway Delibut no... I am out of the saddle and hammering up the hill without dropping paceneed to knock out this rideneed to get the kids

at the top of the hill I slow and stop for a car to make it through the intersectionI went so hard that I was too hypoxic to think to slow things down and drift through with the car at the front of the queue at the top of the hill just in front of memaybe vanity had me thinking I would get there and the timing would be perfectI rolled through when I got my turn and then rested on the downhillshould have spun my legs to free the lactic acidbut instead I let them sitthen when I hit the flats my legs were dead

my legs were dead but my ride was not yet overmy ride was donebut still needed to get homethere would be some nice revolutionsbut the power was behind me

coming the other way was a series of fast and fit riders moving and an effortless fast paceit was obvious that these guys were a different sort of athletecoming the other direction I thought I saw Dave Fuentes leading a pull with a few SUVS riding comfortably in his wind slip

I thought about the other riders then realized that it was Tuesday... and Tuesday is The Goon Ride... sort of a fast paced group ride with some history in the areasomething I have not really blogged aboutbecause it is something I know nothing aboutas I have not attended... these things are not my thingyet I am curious

so... I wind down my ride as people warm upthese guys warm up faster and longer than I rideonly at less efforttheir warm ups are faster and cover greater distance than my full on ride

insecurity kicks in... I AM A MOUNTAIN BIKERI want to should it... but honestly... those machines would be faster than me on dirt toomy engine is nothing compared to theirsI am a Yugo... they are Ferrari's... Maserati... and Mustangs and Cameros... Bitchin CamerosI am a Chevy Civette that is proud of its Track Auto extrasI would prefer to be a late 70's Civic

as I passed the Police Station I saw two cyclists a turn aheadit was a conscious effort to keep pace that I would not catch themeven though it was a slight grade downhill... I did not want to get into a testosterone battleI just wanted to lick my wounds and go home and get my kids

just a turn or two before the stone bridge I hear a noiseit sort of catches me off guardthere is a guy on a Specialized with Flat BarsI laugh to myself... is this for real... this guy has the same set up as me... only he has a hybrid and mine is a cyclocross bike that I customized to have straight barsI cheer him on as he passes me... I do not fight the pass... I am a little afraid that we are going to lock handlebars with our somewhat matching bikes

sorry... I am frail I am weak I am who I aminto the turn before the stone bridge I pass himhaving to slow my pedal stroke for fear of making contact on the turnthen cranking things on the bridge before the bike goes to verticalI am not trying to drop him... but I am picking up the pace

the day dream had taken controlmy pace had dropped.... I had to pick up the pace... I had to respond to my testosteronehe matched my pace... well... not really... but he picked up the pace and made the chaseI did not look back until I turned on Beach towards Broad Branch and then Park Roadmost people loop to Ross Drive but I was confident that he was headed to the Bike PathI kept pace for fear that if I slowed he would turn up Park Road from the Bike Path and overtake me againon Park Road I tried to work something more than a slow grindthere was noting in the tankthere are no miles under my beltthis was a pretty solid effort in summer like heat for someone who has not been riding

I work it up in the bike lane and day dream about how this stretch of road needs to continue its evolutionhow the road needs to be narrowedthe door zone bike lane has to be removed from the downhillthe radial arc of the turn feeding into the downhill should be closer to a right anglethe experiments need to continuethe momentum must not slow

I get home and I am too tired to remember so many of the ideas that swam through my headI wish I had a minute to hit the computer to get some ideas downbut I would rather get the kidsstill slick with sweat I change my clothes and grab the dogin the same motion I get a banana and water for me and the boysthe boys will need a snackespecially if we take the dog for a hike

sorry... I was unable to get through and do a solid proof time is slipping on this daythere are other objectives then this rant from the evening

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